At the close of Pride Month, YouTube has released a statement specifically addressed to its LGBTQ+ users which touch on a number of controversies that have wracked the platform this month. The four part message was shared on the streaming service's official account and included an acknowledgment that they had "let the LGBTQ community down", as well as a commitment to make YouTube a more inclusive space.

The statement began, "It’s the last day of Pride Month and we wanted to reach out to the LGBTQ community. We’re proud of the incredible LGBTQ voices on our platform and the important role you play in the lives of young people. 1/4

But we’ve also had issues where we let the LGBTQ community down–inappropriate ads and concerns about how we’re enforcing our monetization policy. We're sorry and we want to do better. 2/4"

But we’ve also had issues where we let the LGBTQ community down–inappropriate ads and concerns about how we’re enforcing our monetization policy. We're sorry and we want to do better. 2/4

At the beginning of the month, many creators began noticing that YouTube anti-LGBT ads were running against their content - especially those who identified as and spoke openly about LGBTQ+ issues. These ads included but were not restricted to a video by Alliance Defending Freedom, who are officially classed as an extremist group with an anti-LGBT agenda by Southern Poverty Law Center, as well as an ad titled CAN YOU BE GAY AND A CHRISTIAN? by AskDrBrown Ministries which explicitly called homosexuality "a sin".

I dont know what the fuck is going on at @YouTube but why the FUCK are people telling me that ads of this old fuck telling people being gay is wrong are running on my channel pic.twitter.com/LjhswnljrZ

When I spoke to YouTube, they directed me to a difficult to navigate part of their system which would allow creators to block certain ads from running on their channels. However, the system is inherently flawed because creators can only block a specific outbound link that the advert points to - not the creator and brand themselves.

YouTube's recent statement continued, "We’ve taken action on the ads that violate our policies, and we are tightening our enforcement. And when we hear concerns about how we’re implementing our monetization policy, we take them seriously and make improvements if needed. 3/4"

We’ve taken action on the ads that violate our policies, and we are tightening our enforcement. And when we hear concerns about how we’re implementing our monetization policy, we take them seriously and make improvements if needed. 3/4

At this time, it is unknown if the aforementioned ads are still running against creator content.

Demonetization of LGBTQ+ content has been a major concern for creators recently, especially since a YouTuber named Chase Ross conducted an experiment on a video of his that detailed his female to male transition. After posting the video a number of times to YouTube with different titles, he found that whenever he included the words "transgender" in his title - his content was instantly demonetized.

Chase Ross

Chase Ross

He told me at the time, "I posted my 5 years post-op top surgery video yesterday and it was demonetized instantly the second I added the word Transgender in the title. This means it is not ad-friendly and only a couple of ads, if any, will run on the video."

DO NOT LET YOUTUBE GET AWAY WITH THIS.

I uploaded my video TWICE to see if the word "transgender" would trigger the algorithm... and every step of the way was fine UNTIL I added the word Transgender. RIGHT away, the video was demonetized.

While Chase appealed the demonetization, he told me why retroactively appealing could be too little too late for YouTubers. At the time, he said, "I only got the email this morning (around 40 hours after the video had already been posted). The most views a video gets are in the first couple of hours, so all the ad revenue was, unfortunately, gone out the window."

YouTube wrapped up its statement and said, "It's critical to us that the LGBTQ community feels safe, welcome, equal, and supported on YouTube. Your work is incredibly powerful and we are committed to working with you to get this right. 4/4"

It's critical to us that the LGBTQ community feels safe, welcome, equal, and supported on YouTube. Your work is incredibly powerful and we are committed to working with you to get this right.4/4

Throughout Pride Month, YouTube changed its bold red logo to a rainbow one and capitalised on the hashtag #ProudToCreate across its social media channels. It highlighted and promoted the work of LGBTQ+ creators including Tyler Oakley, whose new series Chosen Family follows the stories of LGBTQ+ individuals, Joey Graceffa's YouTube Premium Show Escape The Night and Hannah Hart's Pride Live fundraiser for LGBTQ+ youth.

Megan C. Hills is a freelance journalist and blogger based in London, writing about YouTube and women's lifestyle. Follow her onTwitter,Instagramand on herblog.